Laura Stuart
Laura Stuart is a major character in the light novel and anime series A Certain Magical Index. She is the Archbishop of the English Puritan Church and is the leader of Necessarius. Laura herself is very important, as she is one of the most powerful characters in the entire series being the leader of an entire sect of Christianity and is the leader of a major counter-terrorist/anti-magic organization. With her cunning personality and authority over many, Laura is a very prominent and powerful individual who is not to be messed with. She is voiced by Ayako Kawasumi in the Japanese version of the anime and Carli Mosier in the English version. Appearance Despite being the Archbishop, she looks like an eighteen year old girl. Her real age is unknown, but if Pope Matthai Reese's thoughts are any indication, Laura Stuart looked the same as she was twenty years ago, and that her age is still a mystery. Regardless of her true age, Laura Stuart looks youthful. She is described as having crystal-white skin, clear blue eyes, and shining golden hair, comparing her appearance to that of a gem sold in shop. Her very presence makes her stand out in a crowd. The most striking characteristic of her appearance is her long blonde hair that is 2.5 times her height, which she takes tremendous effort in maintaining. It extends all the way to her ankles, then folds up and goes behind her head through the large silver hairpin that was holding it in place, and returns down to her waist. As for her clothes, she dresses herself with a beige robe, despite the regulations prescribing that the clergymen's attire could only have white, red, black, green, or purple, with threads of gold for decoration, making her secretly breaking the rules. Personality Behind Laura's beautiful facade lies a cold and calculating personality, with Stiyl Magnus mentioning she does things on both ends of the scale that it balances out to the point where it's impossible to tell whether she's good or evil. She is described by him as "no one is better than her in manipulating human feelings, rationality, interests, ethics, and necessary values" and '"the hidden dragon among magicians, she’s somehow able to get to the top, and it’s not done cheaply." She does as many good things as she does evil things. On the balance of good and evil, she’s keeping an intricate balance. She can be very exceptionally cruel when it comes to her plans. An example with this is Laura being the one who had the Collar put on Index, and lied to people that Index must get her memory erased every year, as an attempt to maintain control of the grimoire library Index holds, as well as a much more terrible restraint she envisioned for her as an alternative, with her having Index's limbs cut off and lock her inside the Tower of London, to ensure her absolute safety of Index Librorum Prohibitorum's knowledge from magicians that would misuse it, and to prevent her escape. However, she can also be quite subtle and pragmatic with them befitting her devious nature, as exemplified by her agreeing to a treaty that allows Index to live in Academy City to build a proper relationship between the Church and the City, allowing the Amakusa-Style Remix of Church as part of the Church of England in order to have a rein over Kanzaki Kaori under the guise of protecting them, allowing Orsola Aquinas to join with the Church most likely to bind Kamijou Touma to the Church with his connections, and continual aiding Academy City from Lidvia Lorenzetti after determining that the effects of Croce di Pietro would not benefit her. Even as she commits these cruel acts, she maintains a sincere smile on her face with In spite of her villainous qualities there is a lighter side, making her more of a two-faced beauty. When in the mood, she has a casual and joking nature towards equals like Aleister Crowley and Elizard, and even her subordinates such as Stiyl Magnus and Kanzaki Kaori, to the point that they can spout violence against her without repercussions. She is quite a tease as shown with her in Lambeth Palace with Stiyl in the bath,12 as well as apparently willing to wear a Santa costume with a mini-skirt for charity, much to Kaori's chagrin. This openness with her constituents where identities and statuses are not taken into consideration is a point of envy for Pope Matthai Reese, who commands dignity and respect that it prevents him from truly associating with his people. She is described as someone, who, no matter who the other party was, she would quarrel, reveal her ugly side, go crazy, and sometimes even cry. But in the end, she would always be laughing.2 This makes her naturally charismatic, a trait noted by Leivinia Birdway to be what Kamijou Touma has, along with Aleister Crowley. Stating that he has the seeds to do something indescribably great, which will give him great power if he controls it, or will be disastrous for him if he does not. She loves baths and has a huge collection of the latest designs of baths from Academy City in Lambeth Palace, courtesy of Aleister as a gift to sweeten relations between the two sides, in addition to other technology such as the latest design of washing machines given to the Necessarius female dormitory.14 Her love of the latest baths does not extend to the latest technology however. Like many other characters from the magic side, she is baffled by modern technology. Category:Anime Heroes Category:Manga Heroes Category:Anti Hero Category:Female Category:Heroic Disciplinarians Category:Benevolent Rulers Category:Dissociative Category:Leaders Category:Counter-Terrorists Category:Military Category:Science Fantasy Heroes Category:A Certain Magical Index Heroes Category:Heroic Hegemony Category:Priests Category:Egalitarian Category:Protectors Category:Guardians Category:Lethal Category:Big Good Category:Grey Zone Category:Book Heroes Category:Charismatic Category:Extremists